A guitar that has to be played to be experienced

Old Growth Sitka Spruce & Wild-Grain Indian Rosewood

Maker’s Choice No. 9 began with a remarkable set of wild-grain Indian Rosewood and an exceptional old-growth Sitka Spruce top. Together, these woods provide the foundation for an instrument with tremendous depth, projection and harmonic complexity. But with great tonewoods comes the responsibility to understand what they naturally want to do.

Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce can produce a powerful and highly articulate voice, with strong bass and shimmering trebles. They can also naturally create a more pronounced scoop through the midrange. With No. 9, the aim was not simply to accept that character, but to carefully shape it. Through extensive development of our bracing techniques, the voice of the guitar was refined to bring greater balance and presence through the midrange while retaining the power, depth and clarity inherent in the timber.

The result is a Grand Auditorium that has an unmistakable sense of authority. The bass is bold and controlled, the trebles shimmer with clarity, and the midrange remains present and expressive. It is highly responsive to a light touch, yet has the headroom to open up when the player digs in.

Crafted around extraordinary timber

The wild-grain Indian Rosewood gives No. 9 an immediate visual presence. Its complex grain and natural variation make the instrument unmistakably individual, while the old-growth Sitka Spruce top provides the ideal complement, both visually and tonally. The body is framed with beautifully matched Mahogany bindings, with a solid Mahogany comfort armrest integrated into the bass side for a natural, comfortable playing position.

A bound Indian Rosewood soundhole rosette is detailed with Paua shell inlay, while the curled, figured Ebony fingerboard carries distinctive Paua shell tri-block inlays. The Rosewood headplate continues the visual language of the instrument with Fenech Paua shell inlays, finished with Gotoh 510 machine heads. Every detail has been selected to complement the character of the timber rather than compete with it.

An ultra-thin gloss finish completes the instrument, allowing the depth and natural beauty of the Rosewood and Spruce to remain at the forefront while preserving the responsive character of the guitar.

A voice that invites you to dig in

No. 9 is not a guitar designed to favour one particular style of playing. Its Grand Auditorium body shape and carefully balanced voice give it an exceptional range. It can deliver the subtle detail and dynamic sensitivity demanded by fingerstyle playing, yet has the projection and headroom to handle powerful strumming and aggressive flatpicking.

Most importantly, it responds to the player. Play softly and it reveals detail, texture and nuance. Increase the attack and the guitar responds with greater depth and authority without losing its clarity. There is a point where a great guitar stops feeling like an instrument and starts feeling like an extension of the player.

Maker’s Choice No. 9 is built to reach that point.